Rooster Dilemma

[TJAnonymous]

Last spring (March 2021), I hatched out a clutch of Silkies. Unlucky for me....I still have 4 roosters. I've tried giving away 2 of them with no luck so I still have all 4. I tried Facebook, BYC, and NextDoor....offering them up for free. One is a Splash. The other is pure white. Both are beautiful birds and docile as most Silkies are.... Anyway, my dominant roo, Bruiser, is pure black. I really wanted to keep him for his genetics. However, this morning I went out to feed to find the white roo covered in blood. Apparently he had quite a scrap with Bruiser and was pretty banged up. I brought him inside and cleaned him up. He is currently staying in a 2x4 brooder pen I have inside. The other 2 roosters are terrified of Bruiser and stay hidden inside the coop. If Bruiser comes in the coop, they run outside to get away from him. Obviously this is not a good life for anyone except Bruiser so I have to figure out what to do. I am still trying to give away at least 2 of the roosters. I could cull them but that just feels awful to cull a Silkie. It's almost like culling your family dog, ya know?

I'm looking for feedback. If you were in this situation, what would you do?

 

[ChickenLeg]

Have you tried craigslist, I found the most responses for free roosters through craigslist. If I couldnt find someone I personally would butcher them at some point instead of having to keep feeding them, and if you arent comfortable eating them pass them to a friend who is comfortable, thats what Id do

 

[The-White-Elephant]

Last spring (March 2021), I hatched out a clutch of Silkies. Unlucky for me....I still have 4 roosters. I've tried giving away 2 of them with no luck so I still have all 4. I tried Facebook, BYC, and NextDoor....offering them up for free. One is a Splash. The other is pure white. Both are beautiful birds and docile as most Silkies are.... Anyway, my dominant roo, Bruiser, is pure black. I really wanted to keep him for his genetics. However, this morning I went out to feed to find the white roo covered in blood. Apparently he had quite a scrap with Bruiser and was pretty banged up. I brought him inside and cleaned him up. He is currently staying in a 2x4 brooder pen I have inside. The other 2 roosters are terrified of Bruiser and stay hidden inside the coop. If Bruiser comes in the coop, they run outside to get away from him. Obviously this is not a good life for anyone except Bruiser so I have to figure out what to do. I am still trying to give away at least 2 of the roosters. I could cull them but that just feels awful to cull a Silkie. It's almost like culling your family dog, ya know?

I'm looking for feedback. If you were in this situation, what would you do?

You can sell poultry on next door?

 

[Eggstatic ChickyDoo]

If you were in this situation, what would you do?

If they had genetics I was interested in or were sweet enough to justify their place as pets, I would set up a separate coop/run and keep them as a rooster flock. I don't know if you have the space/time/money/interest for that.
Otherwise I'd probably just cull them.

 

[Brooks_]

If rehoming or bachelor pad can't work, then decisions have to be made. Just remember with roos there will al;ways be a "Bruiser". Choose based on what you want to keep in the flock.

 

[neo71665]

Frankly unless you want the genes of the aggressive rooster I would cull him. No point in passing him off on somebody else. With that many roosters one will step up when he is gone and become the head rooster and most likely be as aggressive.

 

[TJAnonymous]

You can sell poultry on next door?

I didn't have them listed for sale on Nextdoor but as a free giveaway. I don't know why you couldn't though?

 

[The-White-Elephant]

I didn't have them listed for sale on Nextdoor but as a free giveaway. I don't know why you couldn't though?

No, I was just asking, I didn’t know if you could or not

 

[TJAnonymous]

Frankly unless you want the genes of the aggressive rooster I would cull him. No point in passing him off on somebody else. With that many roosters one will step up when he is gone and become the head rooster and most likely be as aggressive.

Bruiser isn't aggressive towards people or the hens...just the other roosters. That's probably not a big surprise. In my main coop, I have 3 adult roosters and 2 juvies. I try not to keep more than 3 adults in there... But that coop has a very big run (125 ft x 35 ft) and lots of hens to keep everyone happy. The Silkie pen is much smaller and far less hens.

I think you guys are right. I either need to set up a bachelor pen (hubby will be mad) or simply cull since no one wants them.

 

[Folly's place]

This will happen every time you hatch chicks; too many cockerels. It's the toughest part of chicken keeping for many of us.
I guess that if you can keep a bachelor coop, that's a solution for these four cockerels, at least until one or more decide not to get along there.
Is your black rooster otherwise perfect?
Having more space is always better too.
Mary